King Salman: Saudi Arabia using G20 to push global Covid-19 vaccine effort

King Salman says the kingdom will push to focus international efforts to halt the pandemic

King Salman sent his best wishes to Mr Biden and Ms Harris on Sunday. Reuters 

Saudi Arabia is firmly determined to use the remaining weeks of its G20 presidency to helping lead the global effort to find a safe and effective vaccine for Covid-19, King Salman said on Sunday night.

In a speech delivered by Saudi Minister of Foreign Affairs, Prince Faisal bin Farhan, on behalf of the monarch at the closing of the Think20 summit, King Salman said that the work of the kingdom in leading the global group of world’s largest economies had continued without interruption during the pandemic. They had, he said, adapted to a new normal with the “hope for a better world that enjoys stability, health resilience and food security”.

“We reiterate that our utmost current priorities are focusing on protecting lives, developing a vaccine for Covid-19 and addressing its health, social and economic impact,” King Salman’s speech said. “This is reflected in the G20 Presidency theme for this year ‘realising opportunities of the 21st century for all’ through empowering people, safeguarding the planet and shaping new frontiers.”

The Think20 Engagement Group is part of the G20 programme and brings together think tanks from around the world to develop policy frameworks and recommendations to tackle pressing global challenges.

King Salman expressed gratitude to those involved from around the globe “who worked collectively under T20 to propose solutions for diverse global challenges, especially in light of the current conditions due to the Covid-19 pandemic.”

The group set up 11 task forces, King Abdullah Petroleum Studies and Research Center (KAPSARC) and King Faisal Center for Research and Islamic Studies (KFCRIS), to address a range of issues.

The monarch also highlighted the multinational effort to beat the pandemic and called for more international unity.

“The world has united in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic, which has threatened public health and the global economy, including through the exceptional decisive measures we have taken to safeguard humanity and protect people from any threats to their lives,” he said.

King Salman will chair the virtual G20 Leaders’ Summit on November 21-22 before handing over the presidency in December.

Saudi Arabia became the first Arab nation to hold the presidency of the G20 last December and invited the UAE, in its capacity as current chair of the GCC, to engage in the G20 process.